More than 600 paddlers from 50 nations are ready to race at the International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup in Poznan, Poland.
It is a star-studded field of athletes including Olympic and Paralympic medallists as they look to make their mark in the Polish city.
With a day to go until the World Cup gets underway, the ICF picks out five things to watch from the programme where there will be 36 sets of medals up for grabs.
Click here for start lists and results from Poznan
Paracanoe returns as big names line up in Poznan
Over eight months since the Paralympic Games ended, Paracanoe paddlers are all set for the new season.
Many of those that made a big impact in Paris have arrived in Poznan aiming to get their campaigns off to flying starts.
Great Britain are without the injured Emma Wiggs who will instead take her place in the ICF commentary team for the World Cup.
But the British team are led by three-time Paralympic champion Charlotte Henshaw who struck gold in both the women’s KL2 and VL3.
They will also have the likes of Hope Gordon, David Phillipson and Stuart Wood who will be looking to top the podium.
Fernando Rufino de Paulo and Igor Alex Tofalini, who starred in Paris with their wolverine-style moustaches, are back to boost Brazil, while Chile’s Katherinne Wollermann, Ukraine’s Vladyslav Yepifanov, Hungary’s Peter Kiss and Georgia’s Serhii Yemelianov are the other Paralympic champions on the startlist.
Pulawska to fuel Polish charge on home waters
It was a weekend to remember for Anna Pulawska in Szeged as she finished the opening ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup of the season with two gold medals.
After clinching the women’s kayak single 500m title, Pulawska then backed it up with success over 200m.
Pulawska will now hope to deliver in front of Polish supporters as she sets her sights on another golden double.
As well as competing in the women’s K1 500m, Pulawska will team up with Martyna Klatt in the women’s kayak double 500m.
They are part of a 52-strong team that will hope to finish at the top of the medals table after placing second behind Hungary in Szeged.
Sylwia Szczerbinska and Dorota Borowska will be aiming to win back-to-back women’s canoe double titles after their victory last week.
They will also be determined to get in amongst the medals in the kayak four 500m after both of their crews finished in the finals in Szeged.
Luzan to lead Ukraine as Dutch duo eye success
Several nations that did not compete in Hungary will be featuring for the first time this season in Poznan.
Among those is Ukraine who will have three-time Olympic medallist Liudmyla Luzan in their team.
The multiple world and European champion will compete in both the women’s canoe single 200m and women’s C1 500m.
Other nations starting their campaign in Poland are Angola, Greece, Ireland, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, The Netherlands, Peru, Philippines, Turkiye, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.
Selma Konijn and Ruth Vorsselman are poised to compete in Poznan where they will hope to bring more joy to The Netherlands.
The Dutch duo made history for their country in 2024, earning The Netherlands’ first Olympic quota for more than 30 years.
They have been placed in a tough women’s kayak double 500m heat along with New Zealand’s Alicia Hoskin and Tara Vaughan, Hungarians Noemi Pupp and Sara Fojt and Poland’s Karolina Naja and Adrianna Kakol.
Germany and New Zealand seeking revenge
It was not the start Germany and New Zealand had hoped for in the K4 in Szeged following their great success in 2024.
Germany’s long unbeaten run came to end as they were narrowly defeated by a new-looked Hungarian crew.
It was Germany’s first time featuring Anton Winkelmann in the boat alongside Max Rendschmidt, Max Lemke and Jacob Schopf.
Described as the “new engine” in the German boat, Winkelmann will be hoping to power his team to victory.
Without the legendary Lisa Carrington this year, New Zealand’s quartet came up short in Szeged, finishing outside the podium places.
New Zealand will be looking to get back into the mix for the medals as Olivia Brett, Hoskin, Vaughan and Lucy Matehaere combine again.
The Spaniards, who triumphed in Szeged, are not lining up in Poznan but competition is set to be stiff again, with Hungary, Germany and Mexico fielding two crews.
Denmark’s Pedersen chasing 1000m success
After a sensational 2024, Mads Brandt Pedersen of Denmark is back for his first outing on the international stage this year.
Pedersen is set for another busy season as he aims to retain his world titles in Canoe Sprint and Canoe Marathon and strike gold at The World Games Chengdu 2025.
He is expected to challenge for the big titles over the long distances again as he starts in the men’s K1 5000m in Poznan but he also hoping to taste success in the men’s K1 1000m.
After the disappointment of missing out on a place at the Olympic Games in Paris, Pedersen is determined to make it to LA28 with focus on the men’s K1 1000m in this Olympic cycle.
Pedersen will line up in a heat that features reigning Olympic champion Josef Dostal of Czechia as he seeks to advance to the final.
Szeged staged a thrilling men’s K1 1000m final and the event is poised to present another fantastic showdown, with Hungary’s Balint Kopasz bidding to emerge victorious again.
Full coverage of the ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Cup can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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